US Open finalists Roger Federer of Switzerland and Andy Roddick
of America both made flying starts at the Masters Cup Red Group
tussles while the Bryans met with early defeat in doubles' action
on Sunday in China's coastal city of Shanghai.
Top seed Federer, coming into Shanghai with an impressive 11
titles this season, rallied from one set down to destroy Argentine
nemesis David Nalbandian 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 in a blockbuster opening
match to the 2006 curtain-closer.
While Roddick, the US Open beaten finalist, also battled back in
full sets to subdue the Croatian number one Ivan Ljubicic in two
hours and 29 minutes, one more hour than Federer.
"Probably a couple of years ago I wouldn't know what to do
(while trailing behind), but through the mental and physical
strength I was able to overcome all these problems. Now I just hang
in there and hope for the best," said Federer at the post-game
press conference after beating Nalbandian.
In doubles' action, American Bob and Mike Bryan, the world's
best doubles team, lost 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-1 to Jonathan Erlich and
Andy Ram, who won four titles this year and are the first Israelis
to reach the tennis Masters Cup elite.
World number one Federer, attending the season-ending jamboree
for the fifth consecutive time, did not hit his stride in the
opening set, allowing seventh seed Nalbandian two breaks to concede
6-3 in 45 minutes or so.
"In the first set he (Nalbandian) could really take my second
serve easily, also from the baseline he had an upper hand at the
moment. He is a top player and keep a good consistency, and he won
the set."
The Swiss champion, however, woke up in time to draw first blood
in the second set breaking early to go up 2-0 and never looked back
before taking the set 6-1.
Nalbandian, who came back from a two-set deficit to wrest the
crown from Federer here last year, dramatically lost his steam
before collapsing in the third set 6-1 too.
"It is very happy to come through a guy like Nalbandian. You
know, it is difficult to play against him. I don't feel much
revenge because he can come back and beat me again in semifinals or
the final if he played well. Let's see what happen in the next few
days."
Fifth-seeded Roddick, who has gone ten months without a title
since he reeled in the Masters Series Cincinnati trophy in August,
squandered two match points in the second set tie-break before
beating fourth seed Ljubicic 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-1 in the Red Group
dubbed as the "Group of Death".
"I hear that everybody was calling this group 'the Group of
Death'. The way I see it, only two people are dying, so I don't
want to be one of them," said Roddick.
"I thought I served well and I thought I returned well. I still
think I can hit the ball a little bit better from the baseline.
Overall it was a pretty solid performance."
(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2006)